The glut of new-baby picture books intended for the four-and-older set often leaves parents of younger children scrambling to find appropriate fare. This British import seeks to fill that need, combining the unexpected surprises lurking in a mommy’s tummy with all the fun of lift-the-flap books. Rather than display the baby at various stages of its growth, however, rhyming text displays various guesses as to what lurks in mommy’s midriff. One guess is, “A round red balloon?” followed by, “Is there enough room?” when the flap is lifted to reveal the object floating in mommy’s bulging middle. The final flap reveals the true denizen of the tummy with, “It’s our new baby!” West’s brightly colored pictures, presenting a series of tummies clad in a variety of maternity tops, accompany the bouncy, sometimes oddly chosen text. A tad confusing for the smallest of small fry, but kids who already understand what’s actually in mommy’s tum are sure to enjoy this interactive guessing game of the maternal persuasion. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-84507-931-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009
Lola’s daddy takes her to the library every Saturday, where she finds “excellent books,” and every night her mommy or daddy reads them to her. The next day Lola acts out the story. On Sunday she’s a fairy princess; on Monday she takes her toy animals “on fantastic trips to places like Paris”; on Wednesday she’s a tiger, etc. Each new book and day provides Lola with a variety of tales to play out, with the last one—which is about a wild monster—posing the question, “What will Lola be tomorrow?” The final page shows her in a wolf suit just like Max’s. The library books, the pretending and the incorporation of the days of the week work together as a simple and pleasing premise. Beardshaw’s acrylic illustrations depict the multicultural kids and Lola’s black family with childlike charm, while the title will have librarians, parents and booksellers smiling. Alert: The book will be an invitation for lap kids to follow Lola’s lead—not such a bad thing. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-58089-258-2
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2010
With eyelids fluttering open, an adorable African-American toddler wakes to play a game of peekaboo with everyone. First spying someone over the mound of blankets heaped on the bed, it is “Peekaboo! I see . . . my mommy.” Peering over the edge of another bed, “Peekaboo! I see . . . my daddy.” Again and again, this smiling child sees someone else, even spying her own diapered image in the mirror. A tail wagging out from behind a door turns out to be a puppy. A string trailing from behind an ottoman is a toy train. Traveling outside, a hat dipped low over the garden is “my grandma,” and the man peeking from behind the newspaper is “my grandpa.” Finding a rabbit, a butterfly, and even a friend in the garden is more fun when incorporated into this extended game. The toddler finishes by peering out from the pages to play it with the reader. A small drawing with a clue as to who might be featured in the next scene of this familiar game, precedes the discovery. When the child surprises the object of her interest, the drawings of her smiling face spill across the whole page. Bright pastel drawings, full of vibrant color, illustrate this familiar game. Toddlers will delight in the play-along potential of this beautiful story. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-399-23602-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2002
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